Clamping devices and the like to clamp or hold articles in a releasable manner



Dec. 11, 1962 L. STEINER 3,067,642

CLAMPING DEVICES AND THE LIKE TO CLAMP OR HOLD ARTICLES IN A RELEASABLE. MANNER Filed March 16, 1959 United States PatentO 3,067,642 CLAMPING DEVICES AND THE LIKE TO CLAMP OR HOLD ARTHILES IN A RELEASABLE MANNER Lajos Steiner 2/1 Harriette St., Neutral Bay, New South Wales, Australia Filed Mar. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 799,818 Claims priority, application Australia Mar. 17, 1958 4 Claims. (Cl. 81361) This invention provides improved clamping devices, pliers, wrenches and the like in the way hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

Objects of the invention are to provide a clamping device with more control over and more power at the jaws. A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping device where both jaws may be controlled by one handle only to insure one handed operation irrespective of the length of handle movements. The way the objects of the invention are achieved will more fully appear in the description of two embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the two figures.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows the invention embodied as a pair of parallel pliers in a sectional front view.

FIGURE 2 is a right hand side view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a left hand side view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 shows the invention embodied as a wrench in a sectional front view.

FIGURE 5 is a right hand side view of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a left hand side view of FIGURE 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown on FIG- URES 1 through 3 the housing element 1 of the clamping device incorporates a stationary jaw 5 with clamping face 6 a guide way 7, a pivot member 8, a curved surface 16 formed eccentrically of 8, and a handle 13. Moving jaw 2 incorporating clamping face 9 and working surfaces 11 and 14 is slidably mounted on guide way 7 through complementary guide way The link 3, which is actuating the moving jaw 2 is pivotally accommodated on pivot member 8 has a pivoted connection operating means 12 and means 18. The operating member 4 is intermediately pivoted on connection 15 to said link incorporates at the two extremities a handle 19 and lug 17 which slides on curved surface 16 thereby actuating link 3.

Guide ways 7 and 10 are shown in the preferred right angular construction with 7 as the male half, but under circumstances 7 could be made female and 10 the male half. Clamping faces are shown plain, but they may incorporate any desirable features, such as cutting edges, serrations and the like.

In the embodiment of the invention shown on FIG- URES 4 through 6 the housing element 1' of the clamping device incorporates a stationary jaw 5 with clamping face 6' a guide way 7 a pivot member 8', and a curved surface 16 formed eccentrically of 8'. Moving jaw 2' incorporating clamping face 9 and working surfaces 11' and 14 is slida-bly mounted on guideway 7' through complementary guideway 10. The link 3', which is actuating the moving jaw 2' is pivotally accommodated on pivot member 8 has a pivoted connection 15', operating means pivoted to it on pin 21 and means 18'. The operating member 4' is intermediately pivoted on connection 15' to said link incorporates at the two extremities a handle 19 and lug 17 which slides on curved surface 16' thereby actuating link 3'.

FIGURE 1 shows the device as a pair of parallel pliers in a cheap flat plate construction with the jaws separated in a non-work-engaging position. Link 3 extends away from handle 13 so as to include a large acute angle therebetween. The handle 19 of operating member 4 extends away from handle 13 at an even greater angle than link 3 and with lug 17 engaging surface 16 adjacent its outer end. As handle 19 is moved towards handle 13 lug 17 slides on surface 16 towards its inner end thereby moving link 3 at a slower angular rate than handle 19. During this movement means 12 of link 3 cams surface 11 of moving jaw 2 so as to reduce the spacing between the jaws 2 and 5 and thereby grip an object located therebetween. Because handle 19 moves at a greater rate than link 3, a greater mechanical advantage is produced than would be produced if link 3 were extended to be provided with an integral handle and pivoted handle 19 were not present. This difference in the rate of angular movement, or to state it in another way, the difference in the angular distance covered in the same period of time between the elements 3 and 19 is effected by the nature of the curved surface 16 which is formed eccentrically of pivot member 8 and is alsodesigned to avoid a wedging or binding condition among the parts during operation of the device.

For disengagement handle 19 is moved away from handle 13 causing a pivoting motion about pivoted connection 15 coupling link 3 and operating member 4 together through means 18 and 22. Link 3 now is forced to rotate about 8 cams face 14 of moving jaw 2 so as to increase the spacing between jaws 2 and 5.

FIGURE 4 shows the device as a wrench. The housing element 1 is formed without a handle, so that handle 19' may have a longer angular movement for one handed operation. Link 3 is shown with operating means 20 pivoted to it on pin 21 to distribute the load on surface 11'. To operate the device the object to be clamped has to be used as support against face 9 of moving jaw 2, handle 19' is moved in the direction of the arrow lug 17' slides on surface 16' towards its inner end thereby moving link 3'. During this movement means 20 of link 3 cams surface 11' of moving jaw 2 so as to reduce the spacing between the jaws 2 and 5 and grip the object placed against face 9' of the moving jaw. This operation would have been impossible without handle 19 having control over both of the jaws 2 and 5.

The preferred forms of the clamping device have been described but it will be understood that modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

I claim:

1. In a clamping device, a housing element having a stationary jaw a guide way a pivot member and a curved surface eccentric about the pivot member, a moving jaw with complementary guide way portion slidably mounted in the guide way of said housing element and incorporating two working surfaces, a link pivotally mounted on said pivot member and having cam means selectively abutting said working surfaces of the moving jaw actuating it thereby to close and open the jaws, an operating member intermediately pivoted .to said link and incorporating at its two extremities a handle and a lug which slides on said curved surface of the housing element thereby actuating said link.

2. In a clamp-ing device, a housing element having a stationary jaw with clamping face a guide way, a pivot member, and a curved surface eccentric about the pivot member, a moving jaw with a clamping face to match said stationary jaw, a complementary guide way portion slidably mounted in the guide way of said housing element and incorporating two working surfaces, a link pivotally mounted on said pivot member and having operating means selectively abutting said working surfaces of the moving jaw actuating it thereby to close and open the jaws, an operating member intermediately pivoted to said 13 9 link and incorporating at its two extremities a handle and a lug which slides on said curved surface of the housing element thereby actuating said link in one direction and having means to couple With said link to actuate it in the other direction.

3. A clamping device defined in claim 1 in which the housing element has an integral handle incorporated to match said handle of the operating member.

4. A clamping device defined in claim 2 in which said operating means of the link is formed separately and pivotally attached .to the link.

a References-fitted int re'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Day May 2, 1939 

